Pillow



July 14, 1964 B. s. CARSWELL 3,140,497

PILLOW Filed April 19, 1962 I. INVENTOR /7 59 /2 Belyflmuz 8.5.2r8well United States Patent 3,140,497 PILLOW Benjamin S. Carswell, 1225 Glenwood Ave. 515., Atlanta 16, Ga. Filed Apr. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 188,636 2 Claims. (Cl. -338) This invention is a pillow that I personally call a Prone pillow for use by sun bathers at the beach or lake where one often desires to lay in prone position without the necessity of having to turn ones head in order to rest same on a pillow as one must do with the ordinary pillow in everyday use.

The main reason one finds it so diflicult to lie in a prone position with pillows now on the market is the difiiculty one finds in breathing since the pillow naturally cuts off most of the air since its body adapts itself to the contour of ones face.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a pillow of the character described that will permit one to lie in a prone position and still have nothing to prevent the air from reaching their nostrils.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that can in fact be used anyplace one may desire to lie in a prone position whether it be at the beach, lake or in ones own back yard.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that can be used equally as well by people of all ages and sex.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that will automatically keep its shape without the necessity of any mechanical device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that can also be used by anyone who, for any reason, finds it necessary to lie in a prone position regardless of where they may be at.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that will permit one to lie in a prone position without becoming tired because of the position of ones head.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that will permit one to lie in any desired position with equal ease.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow that will permit the same amount of air to reach their face when they are lying in a prone position as one will receive if lying on their back.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow that has a minimum amount of contact with ones face or body and yet provide ample support for the same. An advantage to people who may be suffering from any injury where a minimum amount of contact of a pillow with the injured part is most desirable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow that will permit ladies to lie in a prone position without disturbing or damaging recently set hair.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a pillow of the character described that can also be used as a safety device where it is necessary for one to have his or her face in a pillow for short periods of time like during certain kinds of mechanical test work.

Other and further objects and advantages of this pillow will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of this invention in use. The persons head is shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially along lines 44 of FIGURE 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

3,140,497 Patented July 14, 1964 FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially along lines 5-5 of FIGURE 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially along lines 66 of FIGURE 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated by the character 10 a pillow of the character herein described and comprising a rectangular base 11 that may be constructed of wood or any other desired material that is hard. The aforesaid base 11 is provided with a rectangular recess 12 on the underside thereof and an opening 13 in the center of the same as is best shown in both FIGURES 2 and 3 of the appended drawing where in the first mentioned figure it is also seen that the top of the aforesaid pillow 10 is provided with a pair of parallel rectangular members 14, one of which is located on each side of the aforesaid rectangular base 11. One end of each one of the rectangular members 14 which are of foam rubber or any other similar kind of material, is cut down to receive an end of the third rectangular member 15 that is located crosswise in respect to the two members 14. The top surface 16 of the rectangular member 15 is located slightly below the top surface of the aforesaid rectangular members 14 of which it can, if so desired, be a part of as clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the appended drawing where one can see that the two aforesaid rectangular members 14 and the third rectangular member 15 is made of one single piece of material.

The above described pillow 10 is also provided with an additional air vent that is characterized on the appended drawing by the numeral 17. This air vent provides for even greater air circulation to the user of this novel pillow as can be well understood on examination of FIGURES 5 and 6 of the appended drawing where the rectangular recess 12 and opening 13 is, of course, also an air vent as well as the one noted by the reference character 17.

While this novel pillow is illustrated as being rectangular, it can, if so desired, be manufactured in other desired shape and of course in any desired size.

While the rectangular members 14 and 15 are obviously rectangular in cross-section, they may, of course, be of any other desired cross-sectional shape. While the rectangular base 11 is shown as one piece construction, it can be of as many pieces as desired if this type of construction is found to be more feasible to the manufacture.

The way in which this invention is used is clearly obvious from an examination of appended drawing and therefore nothing more need be said concerning the same.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a pillow which accomplishes all of the object sof this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

In accordance with the provisions of the United States Patent Statutes, as stated in the United States Code Title 35, Patents, I have now described the principle of construction and use of my invention of a pillow in the form which I personally consider the best embodiment thereof, and what I now claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pillow of the character described, comprising a hard rectangular base having a rectangular recess on the underside thereof and an opening in the center of the said recess, the said base having a pair of rectangular soft material members on the top side thereof in parallel spaced relation to each other and a third rectangular soft material member of slightly less height than the said pair of soft material members all of the members being rectangular in cross-section and an air vent in one end of the said base and at right angle to the said recess, the said air vent leading from the end in which it is located to the opening in the said base for air to reach a persons nostrils when they are lying prone with their face in the said pillow.

2. A pillow of the character described, comprising a rectangular base on which is located a single rectangular foam rubber member having a rectangular recess therein, thereby providing a pair of parallel rectangular portions, which are slightly higher than a third rectangular portion of the said rectangular foam rubber member, which is secured to the top of the said rectangular base, which is provided with a rectangular recess extending upward from the underside thereof and at right angle to the said pair of rectangular portions of the said foam rubber member and the said rectangular base also having a rectangular air vent therein that is at right angle to the rectangular recess in the said base, the said rectangular air vent extending from one side of the rectangular recess to that end of the said rectangular base on which is located the said third rectangular portion of the said rectangular foam rubber member, thereby providing a pillow on which a person lying prone with their head face down thereon will receive air coming through the rectangular recess and rectangular air vent located in the said rectangular base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,542,674 Darling June 16, 1925 2,461,434 Moyers Feb. 8, 1949 2,688,142 Jensen Sept. 7, 1954 2,990,558 Engel July 4, 1961 

1. A PILLOW OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A HARD RECTANGULAR BASE HAVING A RECTANGULAR RECESS ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF AND AN OPENING IN THE CENTER OF THE SAID RECESS, THE SAID BASE HAVING A PAIR OF RECTANGULAR SOFT MATERIAL MEMBERS ON THE TOP SIDE THEREOF IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND A THIRD RECTANGULAR SOFT MATERIAL MEMBER OF SLIGHTLY LESS HEIGHT THAN THE SAID PAIR OF SOFT MATERIAL MEMBERS ALL OF THE MEMBERS BEING REC- 